Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Granola and Granola Bars

Granola

Normally, I like to modify recipes a little bit, but this one by Ina Garten is just so good, I just made a couple of modifications.

Ingredients

nocoupons

4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

2 cups sweetened, shredded coconut (I used only about one cup).

2 cups sliced almonds

1 1/2 cups dried cherries, chopped

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup good honey

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

(I added a couple of tablespoons of water to make the granola a little more cohesive.)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Toss the oats, coconut, almonds, and cherries together in a large bowl. Pour the vegetable oil and honey over the oat mixture. Add the cinnamon, and stir with a wooden spoon until all the oats and nuts are coated with the liquids. Pour onto a sheet pan. Bake, stirring occasionally with a spatula, until the mixture turns a nice, even golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.
Remove the granola from the oven and allow to cool, stirring occasionally. Store the cooled granola in an airtight container.

After browsing expensive and fattening granola bars at the market, I searched for granola bars recipes online and found that Ina Garten actually offered a fairly healthy option. After making the recipe, it received raving reviews from my husband and extended family. I recommend it!

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8 by 12-inch baking dish and line it with parchment paper. (If you don't have any parchment paper, use a glass baking dish that is buttered.)

Toss the oatmeal, almonds, and coconut together on a sheet pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the wheat germ.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

Place the butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for a minute, then pour over the toasted oatmeal mixture. Add the dates, apricots, and cranberries and stir well.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Wet your fingers and lightly press the mixture evenly into the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool for at least 2 to 3 hours before cutting into squares. Serve at room temperature.